As part of our ongoing student support service at DAS, every Learning Centre Manager understands the importance of organising a Parent Focus Group (PFG) session with parents.

PFG sessions are usually held twice a year. In the past years, we have found that these sessions have not only proved to be vital and successful but also very beneficial in developing post intervention measures at DAS.

Fosters good working relationships
Our Learning Centre Managers and Educational Therapists met up with our parents for a fruitful two hours. This was done with an aim to foster better working relationships between DAS and our parents. The PFG provides a platform for parents to share their experiences as well as garner support from each other.

Furthermore, it allows parents an opportunity to give feedback on how we can improve our current services, thus making our learning centres responsive to parents needs.

Sharing of challenges faced as parents
The PFG allows parents to share the challenges they face at home with a child who has dyslexia. One parent realised that most of what she thought of as unique to her son was actually common among other dyslexic kids.

Sharing of useful tips and strategies
Besides challenges, many shared useful “tips” on how to cope with these challenges. Another parent highlighted that by watching movies on special needs on a weekly basis as a family and then discussing it, had actually helped his son to gradually build confidence within himself.

One of the main concerns raised by most parents at the PFG gathering was the lack of support from their mainstream school teachers in managing children with dyslexia.

Raising awareness
We assured all parents that DAS is doing our part by highlighting this concern to all schools during our awareness talks that we conduct on a regular basis in MOE schools.

In addition, our Centre Managers and Educational Therapists do provide useful “strategies”, “techniques” and updated information for parents to take home.

We are very pleased and encouraged that parents find the PFG to be informative and most of all beneficial.

As we grow, DAS would like to thank all parents for their participation and support as always!

I would like to remind parents that although the PFG sessions are only held twice a year, you need not wait for them to occur to discuss issues with us. Centre Managers encourage all parents to approach us if you have any concerns. Our doors are open so if you have a problem please come and talk to us.

The PFG allows parents to share the challenges they face at home with a child who has dyslexia. One parent realised that most of what she thought of as unique to her son was actually common among other dyslexic kids.